


brachistochrone

by magicianprince



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-11
Updated: 2013-10-11
Packaged: 2017-12-29 01:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/999365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicianprince/pseuds/magicianprince
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He's flipping through his textbooks, the time early enough in the morning for the sky outside to still be dark, when Rin calls him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	brachistochrone

When Rei can't stay asleep, he studies; insomnia doesn't strike him often, but there are times when he feels too restless, too much like he could be doing something productive, to stay in bed any longer. He's flipping through his textbooks, the time early enough in the morning for the sky outside to still be dark, when Rin calls him.

"Did I wake you up?" is the first thing Rin says. He sounds almost victorious, even echoed over the phone.

"No," Rei replies, placing his pencil carefully on the table. "I was studying."

"Do that with me next time--hey, do you want to go jogging?"

Rei glances down at his work. "Right now?"

"Yeah, right now. Or, you know, whenever you can take the train."

The two of them are... _something_ , Rei knows. He knows it by the way that Rin doesn't seem to doubt that Rei will take the train all the way to Samezuka Academy to come jog with him. He knows it in the way that he himself is already calculating how much time there is before the earliest train leaves the station.

"Hmm...I haven't stretched my legs yet today, so I might as well," Rei says, keeping his tone somber.

He can _hear_ Rin's satisfied smile. "I'll be in front of the gate. Bring plenty of water, Glasses," he says, and then hangs up.

Rei changes into clothes suitable for running. He still exits the train a station early before school in order to jog the rest of the way daily, as he had done during his time with the track club, and on top of that, jogging with Rin isn't a rare experience. He knows that he can keep up. Despite that fact, he debates bringing a bottle of water, until ultimately deciding that Rin can afford to share a few from his dorm room every once in a while.

By the time he boards the train, the sun has risen. Rin sends him a message that says only _hurry up._

Rei keys out his reply carefully: _There is a saying that goes "Patience is the key to paradise."_

_paradise? don't make promises that you can't keep, rei_ lights up the screen of Rei's phone only a few seconds afterwards. Smiling, Rei leans his head back against the window behind him. He watches the scenery fly by through the opposite window. He's happy that it's Sunday; the world seems softer, somehow, on days that he has off from school. He thinks of Rin, of red hair and pointed teeth and the way he'd hugged Rei after nationals, close as if Rei had been in the relay, too. Rei had expected to feel something bitter in his gut along with his happiness, even after Rin had thanked him profusely, but Rin had looked as if he were going to cry again, and Haru and Makoto and Nagisa were there and smiling and thanking him, too.

It had been a good day.

The train arrives at his stop with a shuddering halt. Rei stands up, shoving his phone into his pocket. In hindsight, he probably should have left it at home, but he'd wanted to have a way to contact Rin on the way. It weighs in his pocket as he heads out of the train station and towards Samezuka. 

Rin is waiting for him at the front gate, as promised. He must have spotted Rei from a ways off, because he's leaning against one side of the gate and examining his nails like he's been there for hours. He lowers his hand as Rei draws nearer.

"Hello, Rin-san," says Rei.

Eyeing him appraisingly, Rin shows him a sharp toothed smile. "Here," he says, shrugging a small bag from his shoulders. SAMEZUKA is emblazoned across it in white letters. "Put your phone in this, and let's go."

Rei does as instructed. Rin pulls the drawstring tight and slings it back over one shoulder first, then the other. 

"Ready?" asks Rei.

"Are you?" Rin shoots back, and then the two of them are off, keeping pace with each other down the street.

The first time Rin had invited Rei to go jogging with him, Rei had been pleasantly surprised. The invitation itself had been extended during a joint practice between Samezuka and Iwatobi, and it had been almost forcefully casual. Before Rei could answer, Rin had explained that he'd heard about Rei's discipline of running the last stretch before Iwatobi High School from Nagisa, and he wanted to see how in shape Rei was. Rei remembers thinking _Rin-san is reaching out to me_ and then articulating an agreement, listening attentively as Rin told him what day and what time to be at Samezuka.

After a while, Rin huffs a laugh. "Nice that you can always keep up with me," he remarks. He speeds up, just enough to be noticeable.

"I was in the track club, before," Rei reminds him, the corners of his mouth tilting up before he picks up his pace, too. He passes Rin by only a step.

Barking another breathy laugh, Rin replies, "Yeah, I got it," and matches Rei's speed without another word. 

Before long, the two of them slow back into a more natural rhythm. Rin takes him along their usual route, through streets that were once unfamiliar but now have landmarks that Rei can pick out easily. He's used to running by himself, occassionally accompanied by Nagisa. Jogging with Rin feels companionable. By the time they circle back to the front gates of Samezuka Academy, Rei is sweating slightly, but he feels refreshed. He sneaks a glance at Rin--judging from the relaxed set of his shoulders, Rin might agree.

There's an awkward moment where Rei isn't sure whether or not he should offer to take his leave, now that their run is over. 

"Hey," says Rin shortly. He shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "You didn't bring water like I told you to, did you?"

"I didn't," Rei confirms. Rin makes a 'tsk'ing noise with his tongue.

"Let's go up to my room."

Rei has been in Rin's dorm room only once with the rest of the Iwatobi team. It looks the exact same as it did back then. Nitori, Rin's roommate, is vacant from the premises. 

Rin lets his bag slide from his shoulders and onto the bottom bunk of the bed. "Remind me to get your phone out of that for you later," he says. He starts digging through a few bags lined up against the wall. 

"If I forget it, then maybe you'll take the train towards Iwatobi, for once," Rin says cheekily. He catches the water bottle that Rin throws at him in response with ease.

There's a subtle air of anticipation around Rin. Rei opens the cap of the bottle of water and takes a few gulps. Twisting the cap back on once his mouth doesn't feel so dry, he sets the bottle down on Rin's desk.

He clears his throat.

"So, look," Rin says quickly, narrowing his eyes. He peers at Rei's mouth as if it's personally offended him, and Rei sighs and grabs him by the chin. "H-Hey--"

Rei presses his mouth to Rin's and Rin quiets immediately, grasping at Rei's hair. He knocks Rei's glasses askew in the process but Rei lingers, curling the fingers of his free hand around the sharp edge of Rin's hip. Rin makes a low sound in the back of his throat and pulls Rei closer, greedy, and Rei moves back a little just to hear the frustrated noise it earns him. 

He kisses Rin with his mouth closed. Eventually, Rin sways away from him.

"You suck at kissing," he complains, but his breathing is more labored than usual.

"I suppose you'll have to add that to our practice, then, as well as the butterfly stroke," Rei says, raising his eyebrows and adjusting his glasses.

Rin grins at him, shows all his teeth. "Yeah," he says. "I suppose I will."

Rei is certain that he can keep up.

**Author's Note:**

> this isn't even what i was supposed to be working on. oh god. take this off my hands


End file.
